Toilet Seat Lifting Assembly

ABSTRACT

A toilet seat lifting assembly includes a toilet seat that is pivotally coupled to a toilet such that a user can sit on the toilet. A pair of pins is each coupled to the toilet and each of the pins rotatably engages the toilet seat. A pair of biasing units is each coupled between a respective one of the pins and the toilet seat. Each of the biasing units biases the toilet seat to rotate on the pins into a lifted position. Additionally, the toilet seat is urgeable into a lowered position for sitting on the toilet seat. A pair of gaskets is each fixed around a respective one of the pins. Each of the gaskets frictionally engages the toilet seat to slow the movement of the toilet seat into the lifted position to inhibit the toilet seat from striking the toilet.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to toilet seat lifting devices and more particularly pertains to a new toilet seat lifting device for biasing a toilet seat into a lifted position.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to toilet seat lifting devices. The prior art discloses a variety of toilet seat lifters, all of which involve biasing members ranging from a leaf spring, to a coil spring to a resilient member, for biasing a toilet seat into a lifted position. The biasing members generally engage either a pivoting hinge associated with the toilet seat or engage a bottom surface of the toilet seat. The prior art discloses a toilet seat lifter that includes a slip clutch for slowing the speed at which the toilet seat is moved into a lifted position. None of the referenced prior art discloses the combination of a spring biasing member and a resiliently compressible friction pad for slowing the speed of the toilet seat.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a toilet seat that is pivotally coupled to a toilet such that a user can sit on the toilet. A pair of pins is each coupled to the toilet and each of the pins rotatably engages the toilet seat. A pair of biasing units is each coupled between a respective one of the pins and the toilet seat. Each of the biasing units biases the toilet seat to rotate on the pins into a lifted position. Additionally, the toilet seat is urgeable into a lowered position for sitting on the toilet seat. A pair of gaskets is each fixed around a respective one of the pins. Each of the gaskets frictionally engages the toilet seat to slow the movement of the toilet seat into the lifted position to inhibit the toilet seat from striking the toilet.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a toilet seat lifting assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure showing a toilet seat in a lifted position.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a toilet seat in a lowered position.

FIG. 3 is a right side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a bottom phantom view of a toilet seat of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new lifting device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the toilet seat lifting assembly 10 generally comprises a toilet seat 12 is pivotally coupled to a toilet 14 to have a user sit thereon. The toilet 14 may be plumbing fixture in a bathroom or any other type of toilet. Additionally, the toilet seat 12 may be structured to have the appearance common to toilet seats. The toilet seat 12 has a first lateral side 16, a second lateral side 18 and a back side 20 extending therebetween. The toilet seat 12 has a pair of wells 22 and each of the wells 22 extends inwardly on a respective one of the first lateral side 16 and the second lateral side 18. Each of the wells 22 is positioned adjacent to the back side 20 of the toilet seat 12, and each of the wells 22 has a lateral bounding surface 24 and a lower bounding surface 26.

A pair of pins 28 is each coupled to the toilet seat 12 and each of the pins 28 rotatably engages the toilet seat 12. Each of the pins 28 has a first end 30, a second end 32 and an outer surface 34 extending therebetween. The first end 30 of each of the pins 28 is positioned in a respective one of the wells 22 in the toilet seat 12. The second end 32 of each of the pins 28 is fixed to a respective connection point 36 on the toilet 14. The outer surface 34 of each of the pins 28 has a pair of ridges 38 extending around a full circumference of the pins 28. Moreover, the ridges 38 on each of the pins 28 are positioned within the respective well 22.

A pair of biasing units 40 is each coupled between a respective one of the pins 28 and the toilet seat 12. Each of the biasing units 40 biases the toilet seat 12 to rotate on the pins 28 into a lifted position. Moreover, the toilet seat 12 is urgeable into a lowered position for sitting on the toilet seat 12. Each of the biasing units 40 is positioned within a respective one of the wells 22 and each of the biasing units 40 engages the lateral bounding surface 24 of the respective well 22.

Each of the biasing units 40 engages the first end 30 of the respective pin 28. Each of the biasing units 40 is biased to rotate in a first direction thereby urging the toilet seat 12 to rotate on the pins 28 in a first direction for lifting the toilet seat 12. Additionally, each of the biasing units 40 is rotatable in a second direction thereby facilitating the toilet seat 12 to rotate on the pins 28 in a second direction for lowering the toilet seat 12. Each of the biasing units 40 may comprise a coiled spring or other type of device that produces rotation about an axis extending through the first end 30 and the second end 32 of the respective pin 28.

A pair of gaskets 42 is provided and each of the gaskets 42 is fixed around a respective one of the pins 28. Each of the gaskets 42 frictionally engages the toilet seat 12 to slow the movement of the toilet seat 12 into the lifted position. In this way each of the gaskets 42 inhibits the toilet seat 12 from striking the toilet 14. Each of the gaskets 42 extends from the first end 30 of the respective pin 28 toward the second end 32 of the respective pin 28. Moreover, each of the gaskets 42 frictionally engages the lateral bounding surface 24 of the respective well 22 in which the respective pin 28 is positioned. Each of the gaskets 42 is comprised of a resiliently compressible material comprising a gel. Thus, the gaskets 42 expand against the lateral bounding surface 24 of the respective well 22 when the gaskets 42 are compressed.

A pair of springs 44 is each positioned between the first end 30 of a respective one of the pins 28 and the lower bounding surface 26 of the respective well 22 in which the respective pin 28 is positioned. Each of the springs 44 biases the first end 30 of the respective pin 28 away from the lower bounding surface 26 of the respective well 22. In this way the gasket 42 positioned around the respective pin 28 is compressed and subsequently expanded against the lateral bounding surface 24 of the respective well 22 for enhancing friction between the gasket 42 and the lateral bounding surface 24. As is most clearly shown in FIG. 5, a disk 46 may be positioned between the spring 44 and the gasket 42 in each well. As is additionally shown in FIG. 5, the spring 44 may engage a groove 48 in the lower bounding surface 26 of the respective well 22.

In use, each of the biasing units 40 biases the toilet seat 12 into the lifted position and the gaskets 42 slow the motion of the toilet seat 12 into the lifted position. In this way the toilet seat 12 is inhibited from slapping against the toilet 14 when the toilet 14 is biased into the lifted position. The toilet seat 12 is urgeable into the lowered position when the user needs to sit on the toilet seat 12. The biasing units 40 return the toilet seat 12 to the lifted position when the user stands up from the toilet seat 12. In this way the toilet seat 12 is protected from splashes that can result from male urination in the toilet 14.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

I claim:
 1. A toilet seat lifting assembly being configured to keep a toilet seat in a lifted position when the toilet seat is not being sat upon, said assembly comprising: a toilet seat being pivotally coupled to a toilet wherein said toilet seat is configured to have a user sits thereon; a pair of pins, each of said pins being coupled to the toilet, each of said pins rotatably engaging said toilet seat; a pair of biasing units, each of said biasing unit being coupled between a respective one of said pins and said toilet seat, each of said biasing units biasing said toilet seat to rotate on said pins into a lifted position, said toilet seat being urgeable into a lowered position for sitting on said toilet seat; and a pair of gaskets, each of said gaskets being fixed around a respective one of said pins, each of said gaskets frictionally engaging said toilet seat to slow the movement of said toilet seat into said lifted position wherein each of said gaskets is configured to inhibit the toilet seat from striking the toilet.
 2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said toilet seat has a first lateral side, a second lateral side and a back side extending therebetween, said toilet seat having a pair of wells, each of said wells extending inwardly on a respective one of said first lateral side and said second lateral side, each of said wells being positioned adjacent to said back side of said toilet seat, each of said wells having a lateral bounding surface and a lower bounding surface.
 3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein each of said pins has a first end, a second end and an outer surface extending therebetween, said first end of each of said pins being positioned in a respective one of said wells in said toilet seat, said second end of each of said pins being fixed to a respective connection point on the toilet, said outer surface of each of said pins having a pair of ridges extending around a full circumference of said pins, said ridges on each of said pins being positioned within said respective well.
 4. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein each of said biasing units is positioned within a respective one of said wells, each of said biasing units engaging said lateral bounding surface of said respective well, each of said biasing units engaging said first end of said respective pin, each of said biasing units being biased to rotate in a first direction thereby urging said toilet seat to rotate on said pins in a first direction for lifting said toilet seat, each of said biasing units being rotatable in a second direction thereby facilitating said toilet seat to rotate on said pins in a second direction for lowering said toilet seat.
 5. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein each of said gaskets extends from said first end of said respective pin toward said second end of said respective pin, each of said gaskets frictionally engaging said lateral bounding surface of said respective well in which said respective pin is positioned, each of said gaskets being comprised of a resiliently compressible material.
 6. The assembly according to claim 5, further comprising a pair of springs, each of said springs being positioned between said first end of a respective one of said pins and said lower bounding surface of said respective well in which said respective pin is positioned, each of said springs biasing said first end of said respective pin away from said lower bounding surface of said respective well thereby compressing said gasket positioned around said respective pin against said lateral bounding surface of said respective well for enhancing friction between said gasket and said lateral bounding surface.
 7. A toilet seat lifting assembly being configured to keep a toilet seat in a lifted position when the toilet seat is not being sat upon, said assembly comprising: a toilet seat being pivotally coupled to a toilet wherein said toilet seat is configured to have a user sit thereon, said toilet seat having a first lateral side, a second lateral side and a back side extending therebetween, said toilet seat having a pair of wells, each of said wells extending inwardly on a respective one of said first lateral side and said second lateral side, each of said wells being positioned adjacent to said back side of said toilet seat, each of said wells having a lateral bounding surface and a lower bounding surface; a pair of pins, each of said pins being coupled to said toilet seat, each of said pins rotatably engaging said toilet seat, each of said pins having a first end, a second end and an outer surface extending therebetween, said first end of each of said pins being positioned in a respective one of said wells in said toilet seat, said second end of each of said pins being fixed to a respective connection point on the toilet, said outer surface of each of said pins having a pair of ridges extending around a full circumference of said pins, said ridges on each of said pins being positioned within said respective well; a pair of biasing units, each of said biasing unit being coupled between a respective one of said pins and said toilet seat, each of said biasing units biasing said toilet seat to rotate on said pins into a lifted position, said toilet seat being urgeable into a lowered position for sitting on said toilet seat, each of said biasing units being positioned within a respective one of said wells, each of said biasing units engaging said lateral bounding surface of said respective well, each of said biasing units engaging said first end of said respective pin, each of said biasing units being biased to rotate in a first direction thereby urging said toilet seat to rotate on said pins in a first direction for lifting said toilet seat, each of said biasing units being rotatable in a second direction thereby facilitating said toilet seat to rotate on said pins in a second direction for lowering said toilet seat; a pair of gaskets, each of said gaskets being fixed around a respective one of said pins, each of said gaskets frictionally engaging said toilet seat to slow the movement of said toilet seat into said lifted position wherein each of said gaskets is configured to inhibit the toilet seat from striking the toilet, each of said gaskets extending from said first end of said respective pin toward said second end of said respective pin, each of said gaskets frictionally engaging said lateral bounding surface of said respective well in which said respective pin is positioned, each of said gaskets being comprised of a resiliently compressible material; and a pair of springs, each of said springs being positioned between said first end of a respective one of said pins and said lower bounding surface of said respective well in which said respective pin is positioned, each of said springs biasing said first end of said respective pin away from said lower bounding surface of said respective well thereby compressing said gasket positioned around said respective pin against said lateral bounding surface of said respective well for enhancing friction between said gasket and said lateral bounding surface. 